ANA titers are now negative

[rowingmom]

Two years ago (April 2011), before lyme/bartonella were on my radar, DD tested positive (through LifeLabs Canada) for ANA (antinuclear antibodies) speckled type; indicative of the presence of autoimmue reaction and connective tissue involvement.

 

On August 2012 (1.5 years) into treatment for lyme/bart she again tested positive for ANA with Sjogren's Anti-SS-B (through LabCorp).

 

http://www.rheumatology.org/Practice/Clinical/Patients/Diseases_And_Conditions/Antinuclear_Antibodies_(ANA)/

 

The immune system makes an abundance of proteins called antibodies. Antibodies are made by white blood cells and they recognize and combat infectious organisms in the body. Sometimes these antibodies make a mistake, identifying normal, naturally-occurring proteins in our bodies as being "foreign" and dangerous. The antibodies that target “normal” proteins within the nucleus of a cell are called antinuclear antibodies (ANA). ANAs could signal the body to begin attacking itself which can lead to autoimmune diseases, including lupus, scleroderma, Sjögren's syndrome, polymyositis/ dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease, drug-induced lupus, and autoimmune hepatitis. A positive ANA can also be seen in juvenile arthritis.\

 

Antibodies develop in our immune system to help the body fight infectious organisms. When an antibody recognizes the foreign proteins of an infectious organism, it recruits other proteins and cells to fight off the infection. This cascade of attack is called inflammation.

Unfortunately, some antibodies make incorrect calls, identifying a naturally-occurring protein (or self protein) as foreign. These autoantibodies start the cascade of inflammation, causing the body to attack itself.

Most of us have autoantibodies, but typically in small amounts. The presence of large amount of autoantibodies or ANAs can indicate an autoimmune disease.

 

Her latest ANA titers (also LabCorp - 3 Dec 2013) were negative.

 

Our LLMD was unfazed. Her opinion is that infection/imflammation drives autoimmunity and that when both are properly addressed autoimmunity ceases. This, I believe, is Stephen Buhner's opinion also.

Edited December 11, 2013 by rowingmom

[JoyBop]

What ratio was it positive to? The ANA finding is non specific but can give clues. Many healthy people have a low positive and never have an autoimmune problem. It may also be that you took care of the problem that was occurring at that time. You'll never know...but the ANA is not a big deal without a clinical picture of certain diseases such as lupus and the like.

 

My son tested positive to low levels. Speckled as well. No one really bats an eyelash at it, but it is a clue that something is going on. Thank goodness for small clues but sometimes they don't point to answers as is the case with ANA. It's like saying there is inflammation in the system. But where, why? We don't know.

[rowingmom]

I agree. The Canadian test only said results were higher than the reference interval (<1:10). We went on to test for lupus, but that came back negative. The first LabCorp test returned as high 1.1 (reference 0.0-0.9), so not too high either.

 

Just found it interesting that a marker of autoimmune involvement could resolve with abx treatment.

[JoyBop]

Or it resolved due to the fact that the antibodies that were attacking the self were eliminated thanks to abx. Here we have several year ranges. 1:40, 1:80 ect ect.

[rowingmom]

Are you saying that abx address the autoantibodies specifically or the infections that produce the antibodies?

[PowPow]

Could be either. That is why this whole thing is such a journey to treat.

Glad her labs and symptoms are clearing up.

[JoyBop]

My thought is possibly, in so e cases yes. If you think about it, in PANDAS the person gets the bacterial infection. The body makes the antibody to fight the but but instead it mistakenly attacks the body instead. That is an auto antibody. An antibody that attacks the self. The ANA as I understand it looks for auto antibodies and can be a sign that there is an autoimmune problem. It can also just be a fluke, or a sign that the person carries the genetic predisposition to an autoimmune disorder, even if they do t have one.

 

If you got tested both times by the same lab with the same reference ranges, my guess is that those auto antibodies have quieted down. I would say there is little chance of simply a false positive test with the ana. If they were able to identify that it was if the speckled variety you know it was actually seen and specified.

 

It sounds line a great sign to me!

[3bmom]

That's great and it makes sense to me. PANDAS, Autism, ADHD is shown to be a combination of infection and Autoimmune. The immune system is dysfunctional and has sent soldiers to attack anything it sees as threatening both good and bad.

 

I see antibiotics killing off bad bacteria and maybe bad gut flora. Anti-virals killing off viruses. This eliminates infection inflammation, just like a cold makes us fuzzy brained.

 

Then diet eliminates another layer of inflammation. Remember we have changed our food with pesticides and GMO. We have eaten the same for over 10,000 years and can't expect our immune system to recognize foreign food in 30 years. Over 64 countries ban or label what we eat every day. It's got to make you wonder why? Theses aren't hyper moms we are talking about countries around the world.

 

Rowingmom correct me if I am wrong but didn't you use supplementation based on your daughters genetic profile? This is the puzzle piece I am so interested in. Our Dr won't allow supplements. Before you condemn him hear me out.

 

If you have an immune system that is strong but confused and you supplement it what may happen is you give it strength to attack better. If you address the layers of inflammation and than supplement based on individual needs you can than stabilize the immune system to function as it was designed and hence lower ANA.

 

When we have infections, threats like foreign food our bodies will make that a top priority. The immune system is on a constant treadmill trying to survive. Think how poor our decision making process is when we are exhausted! Meanwhile heavy metals are brushed under the rug (hidden) to be dealt with at a later date. That is why methylation is an important piece of healing and why I have come to this forum.

 

Thank you Rowingmom for giving me inspiration to move from stable to healed.